Eden school chief resigns, is replaced by interim

Action ends Buggs’ 15-year career in district

The Eden Central School District has parted ways with its superintendent.

Superintendent Ronald K. Buggs has resigned and is being replaced by an interim until the district hires a permanent replacement, according to a statement on the district’s website.

The Eden School Board accepted Buggs’ resignation during a special meeting Friday, which immediately put an end to his 15-year career in Eden.

The School Board appointed Richard Schaefer, principal of Eden Elementary School, as the interim.

A permanent successor could be named as soon as the end of this month.

Buggs’ departure from the district comes as no surprise, because it has been in the works for a while, but the end came rather abruptly.

The School Board last July did not renew Buggs’ contract, which expires June 30, and has been searching for a new superintendent.

Expecting the search was nearing an end, Buggs – who is retiring – gave his 60-day notice to the board on Thursday.

Buggs thought that would give the board enough time to hire his successor, without having to appoint an interim superintendent, and give him time to tie up some loose ends in the district, Buggs said.

“From what I understand, as of Friday, [the board] chose to meet and expedite that,” said Buggs, when reached on Saturday. “They ultimately had been hinting at that all along.”

“It was their choice,” he said.

Board President Steven Cerne could not be reached to comment Saturday, but the statement by the district indicated a new superintendent is expected to be hired by the end of the month.

Cerne, in the past, has declined to comment on why the board did not want to renew the agreement with Buggs, saying it is a personnel issue.

In fact, two board members resigned last February, citing disagreements with the board majority, which has been critical of Buggs’ administration.

Also, a taxpayers group for several years had questioned the district’s financial practices and called for Buggs’ termination.

“We’re trying to take the district in a different way,” Cerne told The Buffalo News in July.

Buggs – whose career in education includes administrative roles at Niagara Catholic High School in Niagara Falls and St. Mary’s High School in Lancaster – was named principal of Eden Junior/Senior High School in November 1997.

He became superintendent on Jan. 1, 2006.

“We thank Mr. Buggs for his contributions to our district during these 15 years,” the district statement reads. “Both as principal and as superintendent, he has managed our schools through some challenging times and we wish him success in his next career endeavor.”

Schaefer, meanwhile, will provide “continuity and stability during this transition time,” Cerne said in a prepared statement.